Siphon flume-gate.



P. L. HEDRICK.

SIPHON FLUME GATE.

/APPLICATION FILED 1m30, IsII.

Patented Nov; 12, 1918.

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`PERRY L. HEDRICK, 0F EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA.

SIPHON PLUME-GATE.

Application med January so, 1917.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PERRY L. HEDRICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Centro, in the county of Imperial and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Siphon F lume-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pneumatically operated flume gates, and the principal object is to provide a flume gate which is operated without the use of valves or valve seats.

It is also an object to provide a flume gate in which the passage of water therethrough is controlled by means of an air seal.

It is an object to provide a Siphon that will operate continuously and one in which the air from the water will not collect at its top and break or stop the siphonage.

The invention further has for its object to provide a flume gate for irrigation and hydraulic purposes which will be simple, strong. durable, economical in its construction and which in its usage will be a safeguard against leakage and Hoods.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gate that will automatically prevent the water from overflowing the canal bank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pneumatically operated fiume gate having an entrance opening normally above the water level in a canal or Hume, and a discharge opening below the normal level of said water exterior to the canal levee or wall of fiume.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a flume gate of tubular construction, the end of the tubular structure projecting above the water in a canal. being provided with a hood or cover in which air can be confined or relieved as desired.

It is also an object of this'invention to provide means to regulate the flow of fluid through the entrance opening of the gate by means of an adjustable hood or cover.

It is also an object to provide means in connection with the hood or cover to permit of submergence of the entrance opening Without leakage and also to permit of overflow of the excess water in the fiume so that there is no danger of overflow in the latter,

` together with means for operating covers of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

serial No. 145,528.

excluding it from large sized gates in submergence without shifting the cover from a fixed position.

It is a further object to provide means for reversing the position of the gate so that it may be operated from the land vside of the Hume and gate. l

With the foregoing and other objects which will appearv as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification I have illustrated a convenient and practical embodiment of my invention and in which:

Figure l is a transverse section through one embankment or levee of a fiume or canal showing the gate in section, the hood or cover being in position ready for operation.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a portion of the tube in elevation, the operative position of the gate hood or cover being indicated, the flow of water within the tube having been started by means of the cap.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the protective collar encircling the standpipe;

Fig. 4. is a side elevation of protective collar. i

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a modifica'- tion or reversal of the construction in which the cap is operated from the land side of the levee.

Fig. 6 is a separate view in elevation of the hood or cover with sliding cover supports in place.

Fig. 7 is a plan of one of the cover sup# ports.

Fig. 8 is a detail section of a cover operating under a variable head of water, and section of a device for lifting large sized covers.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line A--B Fig. 8 showing the concentric relation of the walls of the tube and the hood or cover.

Fig. 10 is a perspectiveview of the outlet end of the tube. i

Fig. 11 is an end elevation of plug in end of tube 17. l i

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of an operating lever for lifting the siphon cover.

Heretofore in the operation of fiume or canal gates the valves and seats have become worn and leaky and on account of their connection with a flume or canalare diflicult of inspection and repair unless the supply is turned on at some distant point in the sys tem resulting not only in considerable Waste of Water and time, but no means is made to provide against overiovvs and levee protection.

This invention overcomes the above difficulties in providing a construction Without valve seats or contacting` parts in which the floiv of Water is controlled by air, a siphoning action being produced by shifting the portion of the air in relation to a fixed portion of the gate.

More specifically in the drawings, 14C rep resents or designates a levee or embankment forming one side of a canal having Water 15 therein, it. being desired to convey this water to the land level 16. To accomplish this the pipe 17 is placed in the levee at any suitable point either in the inclined position shovvn having the end disposed practically on a level. with the ground 16, or placed so that the pipe is trapped in its course from the inlet to the outlet, and jointed at its opposite end 19 ivith a standpipe 20 which preferably eX- tends above the level of the Water 15 but which with extremely variable heads of water may be submerged when the Water reaches height 15 Fig. S.

It has been found in practice that this pipe 17 should be made of cement but it may be built et metal or Wood, the stand pipe 2O ma),v be either ot cement or metal structure, the latter being substantially vertically disposed With the opening or inlet in a plane parallel to the Water surface.

The hood or cover 21 encircling standpipe 20 is preferably a tubular or cylindrical structurehaving its tubular Walls extending dovvnivard preferably at right angles to its closed end Q2 and of such length as to extend some distance belou7 the level of the Water and prior to use may be left resting upon the upper end of stand pipe 20.

To operate this cover a handle 23 is secured to the top thereof and suffices for small sizes. Jfor large sized covers Where no submergence occurs hooks 24- are secured to the sides of the cover into Which rings of a crossbar GO may be engaged, the crossbar being attached to a simple lever 25 With fut Crum 61, When in use resting upon collar 2G.

To regulate the flovv through the stand pipe 20 and pipe 17 means are provided to support cover 21 in a raised position by a strap frame 27 provided vvith latch 28, this frame being free to slide in grooves formed by straps 24 and 29 the'latch engaging in cross slots cut into 29 and prevent the descent of the cover 21 when in raised position thus holding the closed end of cover 21 out of contact with the top of standpipe 20, these holding devices bear dovvn upon opposite sides of collar 26.

In the modification showin in 5 the outlet pipe 30 is reversed, its upper end beu ing located in the canal in the Water 15, the opposite end connecting to stand pipe 31 which extends beyond the land side of the levee 11i, the standpipe 31 is'vertically disposed and is provided With a cover 32 similar in form to cover 21 the end of the standpipe extending above the level of the Water 15 as in the first instance.

To provide a seal for the cover 32 a receptacle 33 is provided, which encircles the standpipe and is of suflicientdiameter to in close the Walls of the cover and of suflicient height to allow the cover to be raised sufficiently to start the flow or siphonage eof the Water Without breaking the air seal.

To provide means 'for admitting` Water to form this seal a small auxiliary valve 34. is tapped into the standpipe so that vvater standing within the standpipe at the same level as in the canal can be readily withi drawn into the tank 33 for the purpose desired.

For lling the trap in the pipe 17 priming valve 35 is mounted in stand pipe '20 by means of which water 15 may be admitted to fill trap to ground level 16.

In the modification or application shown in Fig. 8 adapted to be used where submergence occurs and Where covers attain such size and Weight that it is difi'icult to operate them manually without mechanical devices, the cover 36 over the standpipe ZO is provided with a cable support 37 which leads to a block 38 or" the block and tackle, the line 89 being carried to any suitable point, this tackle being supported upon the arm Lt0 of a bracket Lt1. This bracket 11 consists preferably of a suitably Jformed rod or post of iron or metal having a seat upon the floor l2 of the long leg of the siphon 17 and passing up through and being concentrically located with the Walls or' the standpipe. To accommodate this post the cover 36 has an orifice through its top L13 through vvhich is secured the pipe 44 this latter being concentrically arranged with the side Walls of the cover and embraces the post 41, and besides providing means for accommodating the post 41 also peri'aits of overflow in case the water level ot' the canal attains a height which would be dangerous to the continuity of the levee.

The cover 36 is provided ivith a false tight horizontal ivall 50 but is extended to join with the top i3 allowing of subinergence of the stand pipe 20.

To provide for conditions Where the Water level rises to greater height than the top of the standpipe 2() Fig. 8 and would tend to lift the cover by buoyancy and start siplooning action by reason of overcoming the Weight of the cover by the conned air Within the saine being put -under greater compression by the 1ising Water 15, the post is provided with a bore Within which a pin 46 is introduced which forms a stop to limit the upward movement of the cover.

To provide for conditions of operation when the water level rises to 47, an air valve 48 is provided mounted in the top of cover 43 and connected by pipe 51 through false cover 50, air valveV 48 forms a means for releasing air under compression within cover 36 and also forms means for air hose connection for introducing air under compression to stop water flow under cover 86 and standpipe 20.

To provide for the delivery of water in straight lines and to prevent whirls at the delivery 16 and to prevent levee erosion at the outlet the upper portion of 17 equal to the crcss sectional area of 17 is cut away at 18 Fig. 1. at the end of the lower portion of pipe 17 which is not cut away is fitted a plug 52 Fig. 10 and Fig. l1. This plug is preferablv placed at right angles to the axis of pipe 17 and has its central portion 53 formed to a higher level or low peak than at the sides where it joins with the sides of the pipe. The higher central portion by adding obstruction and additional frictional resistance checks the films of highest velocity and renders an equal velocity to all parts of the flow.

The operation of the gate will now be explained. water is admitted through auxiliary valve 35 Fig. 1 until it stands in the long leg of the siphon and standpipe to the height shown, the coverwith air valve 54 open is now lowered over the standpipe until the top 22 rests upon the top of standpipe, the water now stands within the cover and surrounds the standpipe to the height shown, by closing the air valve the cover becomes airtight and then bv lifting the cover to the level shown in Fig. 2 the tendency is to create a vacuum under the cover, by thus lessening the air pressure upon the top of the water surface both within the standpipe and within the cover surrounding the standpipe allows the full atmospheric pressure to be exerted downward upon the water surface external to the cover in the canal and upon the water in the trap at the landward end of the pipe at its opening 18 and thus force the water upward within the standpipe and within the cover, these water surfaces will be carried upward bv the ascending cover at its rate and will maintain their same relative elevations with respect to each other that they had prior to raising the cover, when the cover has been raised a distance equal to the height of the standpipe above the water in the canal, the annular column of water then at this point becomes unsupported and falls within the standpipe while the atmospheric pressure upon the outside of the cover forces other water in to take its place, the water falling within the standpipe will entrap any air within the cover and under the carry it out of the long leg, thus maintaining a siphon, continuously1 through the cap, standpipe and long leg to deliver water to the land 16 clearly as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation cf the structure shown in Fig. 5 is the same as disclosed in Fig. l and Fig. 2 it being merely reversed in that the water stands in the standpipe 56 at the same height as in the canal, and water admitted into thebasin 33 through auxiliary valve 34 forms a seal for the cover 28 and on lifting the same, water in the standpipe is lifted until it overflows and starts a flow through the siphon, standpipe and receptacle upon the land. i

W here the head of the water is variable as in Fig. 8 siphonage from water level 15 is obtained as previously described but a flow from 47 is obtained by opening valve 48 and releasing the compressed air from under the cover 36 which allows the water to flow directly from a higher to a lower level.

To stop the flow of water compressed air vis introduced under the cover preferably through air valve 48 from some previously provided supply.

B v means cf this invention water may be lifted and discharged into a standpipe at a height above the normal water level equal tc the maximum height of a water column sustained bv the atmospheric pressure.

rIhe amount of How is regulated bv shifting the position cf the cover verticallyand increasing cr decreasing the space between the top of the cover and the upper end of the standpipe. To step the action. the valve 54 may be left entirelv open admitting air cover and breaking the siphoning it may be stopped by removing from the standpipe. The open is then a levee protection.

action, or the. cover standpipe I claim:

1. `ln a siphon flume gate yconstruction in combination with a levee forming one wall or embankment of a canal having water therein, of a standpipe vertically disposed in said canal adjacent said levee or embanlc menthaving` its upper end open and extending above the normal level of water in said canal, the lower end of said standpipe being connected to a pipe carried through said embankment or levee and opening upon the land side thereof at a lower level than the upper end of said standpipe, a cover embracing said standpipe and extending above and below said water level in said canal whereby when said cover is lifted the water level therein is raised above the top edge 0f said standpipe, means to support said cover in its lifted position.

2. In a siphon flume vgate construction in combination with a levee forming one side of a canal having water therein of a standpipe vertically disposed in said canal and having its upper end adjacent to or above the water level in said canal, an elbow of angular conliguration connected to said standpipe below the level of said water, a pipe extending from and connecting with said elbow to a point on 'the oppositely disposed side of said levee and. having its opening adjacent the land level thereto, said opening being below the water level in said canal said opening being` in the upper wall of said pipe, means provided in the landward end of said pipe to divert the water upward through said opening, a tubular cover having a closed upper end, said cover adapted to embrace said standpipe and eX- tending into the water adjacent thereto, means to release or receive air in the upper portion of said cover, and means to lift said cover so that the level olf the water will be varied within said cover to a point above the top edge of the standpipe and start a siphonage flow from the water in said canal to the land side oi the levee through said cover, standpipe and pipe connections thereto.

3. ln a siphon liunie gate construction in combination with a levee forming one wall of a canal having water therein, of a stand pipe verticaliv disposed in said water and supported adjacent said levee, having an open top adjacent to the water level in said canal, a connection extending from the lower end ot said standpipe to the oppositely disposed side of said levee to form an exit for water therefrom, a cover support mounted in said standpipe and extending above the top thereof, means to raise or lower a cover secured to the upper end of said cover support or post, a cover ha ing a concentrically arranged tube therein, said cover adapted to embrace said rod and inclose said standpipe, and means to connect said cover to said cover raising means, whereby said cover may be raised or lowered in relation to said standpipe to produce a siphoning action and deliver water through said cover standpipe and tube from said canal to the land side ot' said levee.

el. In a Siphon flume gate construction in combination with a levee forming one side of a canal oi? a standpipe mounted adjacent thereto and aifording communication with the water inclosed b v said embankment, a cover adapted to close the upper end of said stand pipe, and a stationary collar or sleeve arranged in spaced relation with the cover to provide a water seal for said cover so that variations in the level ot the water confined in said cover and said stand pipe may be produced to starta flow from said canal to the land side of said levee or embankment.

5. ln a siphon flume gate construction in combination with a levee forming one side o1E a canal having water therein a standpipe mounted adjacent 'thereto having an open top below the water level of said canal, a connection extending from the lower end of said stand pipe to the oppositely disposed side of said levee to `forni a trapped passage way exit for water from said canal through said stand pipe and its connection to the land or' said levee, a cover having a closed upper end, said cover adapted to inclose said stand pipe, means to tix said cover in position inclosing said stand pipe, means provided in said cover to admit of air passage between the underside of said cover and the exterior, means for preventing water flowing under said cover and through said stand pipe and its connection to the lan/5L side of the levee.

ln testinion3T whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PERRY L. HEDRICK.

lllitnesses Venn BLooMER, Anoia L. Perris.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

